handmade style by a designer

Banksia Sewalong: long sleeved version

Oh how i love a long sleeved Banksia!! It’s a wonderful winter option – and so so pretty!

i think you’ll also find it’s a really easy variation on the pattern.

If you haven’t already drafted a long sleeve for your Banksia top – head on over to this post for a refresher.

Ok ready?

Cut out your long sleeves using your newly drafted long sleeve pattern. Fold in half with right sides together, matching up the seam lines. Sew, and neaten the raw edges

Now to begin the cuff. Fold 1/2″ towards the inside and press. Then fold 1.5″ towards the inside and press again.

Head over to the sewing machine, and sew the around the edge. Make sure you leave a gap larger enough to thread your 1″ wide elastic through.

Now time to cut your elastic. I like using 1″ wide elastic, because i think it makes for a better look. I tend to prefer cotton elastic, over synthetic as i find it has a “softer” stretch. Figuring out your elastic length is a matter of preference. For me i measured my wrist – added 1/2″ for ease, and another 1″ for elastic overlap – resulting in 7″ long elastic

Thread your elastic through the opening by attaching a safety pin to the end to guide it through. Once both ends meet at the opening, overlap the elastic by 1/2″ and secure.

Over to the sewing machine again, sew up the gap you threaded the elastic through.

Technically i suppose you could call this last step optional – but personally i think it’s vital to getting a good finish. Back to your sewing machine, sew the elastic to the cuff, stretching the elastic as you sew, so that the elastic and fabric are matched up. I like to sew two rows like this. You end up with a really perfectly gathered cuff that sits nice and flat (no rolling elastic).